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The differences between cyber security engineers and software developers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a cyber security engineer, becoming a software developer takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a cyber security engineer has an average salary of $99,492, which is higher than the $87,521 average annual salary of a software developer.
The top three skills for a cyber security engineer include cyber security, python and linux. The most important skills for a software developer are java, python, and C++.
| Cyber Security Engineer | Software Developer | |
| Yearly salary | $99,492 | $87,521 |
| Hourly rate | $47.83 | $42.08 |
| Growth rate | 32% | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 73,419 | 294,329 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 60% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Average age | 42 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 4 |
A cyber security engineer specializes in designing and establishing security measures to protect a company's network and data from hackers or cyber attacks. Their responsibilities primarily revolve around planning and implementing cyber security systems, responding to any problems or concerns, handling security breaches and emergencies, and troubleshooting to identify any issues or vulnerabilities. Moreover, a cyber security engineer may perform clerical tasks such as producing progress reports and documentation, creating instructional materials for systems, managing schedules, and coordinating with department managers, all while adhering to the company's policies and regulations.
A software developer is responsible for designing application systems to support the user and business' needs. Duties of a software developer include testing software codes, performing diagnostic programs and troubleshooting, interpreting system data and establishing efficient parameters, and ensuring the compatibility of the systems. A software developer must have an excellent knowledge of computer programs and programming languages to understand its complexities, especially on detecting system defects and malfunctions. A software developer must have strong attention to detail, communication, and decision-making skills to coordinate with the team and also work independently under minimal supervision.
Cyber security engineers and software developers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Cyber Security Engineer | Software Developer | |
| Average salary | $99,492 | $87,521 |
| Salary range | Between $75,000 And $131,000 | Between $67,000 And $113,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Dotdash | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Finance |
There are a few differences between a cyber security engineer and a software developer in terms of educational background:
| Cyber Security Engineer | Software Developer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 60% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | Harvard University |
Here are the differences between cyber security engineers' and software developers' demographics:
| Cyber Security Engineer | Software Developer | |
| Average age | 42 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 83.8% Female, 16.2% | Male, 79.3% Female, 20.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.2% Unknown, 6.1% Hispanic or Latino, 9.0% Asian, 9.6% White, 65.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 4.5% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.2% Asian, 29.9% White, 52.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 8% |